The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown on the distribution of fat tissue and skinfold thickness in adolescents from Kraków (Poland)
Summary
Background
The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly changed the lifestyle and dietary habits of societies worldwide. The aim of the study was to assess changes in the distribution of fat tissue and skinfold thickness in adolescents (aged 11–15) from Kraków during the COVID-19 pandemic period.
Methods
Two cross-sectional studies conducted in 2020 and 2022 (before and after the pandemic) involved 1662 adolescents from the Kraków population. Skinfold thickness measurements were taken. The trunk adiposity index, limbs-to-trunk fat ratio and limbs-to-total skinfold ratio were calculated. Statistical analysis employed a two-way ANOVA, Tukey's HSD test and the Kruskal–Wallis test, depending on the normality of the distribution.
Results
Higher skinfold thicknesses were observed in the majority of age groups in both sexes from the 2022 cohort in comparison with the 2020 cohort. Additionally, higher values of the trunk adiposity index and the limbs-to-total skinfold ratio in most age groups were observed. However, an inverse trend was observed in the limbs-to-trunk fat radio.
Conclusions
The introduced restrictions such as lockdown, remote learning, reduced physical activity and changes in dietary habits could have influenced the distribution of fat tissue and skinfold thickness amongst adolescents from Kraków.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT
The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
